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Post subject: Tube Amp vs Solid Amp
Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2014 7:51 pm
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Which amp is better for Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, Tube amp or solid amp? Also is it pointless to use pedals with a solid amp?


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Post subject: Re: Tube Amp vs Solid Amp
Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2014 8:01 pm
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I heard solid state amps make pretty good boat anchors.

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Post subject: Re: Tube Amp vs Solid Amp
Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2014 8:08 pm
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What is the weather supposed to be like this summer in the UK?

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Post subject: Re: Tube Amp vs Solid Amp
Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2014 8:12 pm
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Toe-may-toe or toe-mah-toe?

:lol:

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Post subject: Re: Tube Amp vs Solid Amp
Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2014 8:17 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
Toe-may-toe or toe-mah-toe? :lol:


+1

When it comes time to decide, is it a fruit or a vegetable?

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Post subject: Re: Tube Amp vs Solid Amp
Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2014 8:26 pm
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Sure, you can use pedals with a solid state amp. What you can't use are overdrive pedals that depend on the amp to break up in a melodic way when the signal is too strong. That means pretty much any pedal with a gain function will be limited.

Solid state amps have two advantages: They are generally much lighter, and you don't have to crank them up to high volumes to get effects (like distortion) from them. They are thus often used for practice.
But in most guitarists minds, they don't sound nearly as good as a tube amp, especially not at high volumes.
Because of the way tube amp signals break up at higher volumes, with non-flat signal clipping, you can as a rule of thumb say that one tube amp watt equals ten solid state amps. To match the output of a 30W tube amp, you need a 300W solid state amp and matching speakers.

You won't find many metal bands that play through solid state amps. When doing larger concerts, probably most will use tube amps as a first stage and feed the output into a PA system. Some will use a tube amp emulator. But very few will go plain solid state.


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Post subject: Re: Tube Amp vs Solid Amp
Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2014 8:29 pm
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This has been such an enlightening discussion I can't wait till it comes up again. :roll:


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Post subject: Re: Tube Amp vs Solid Amp
Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2014 8:54 pm
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Tube amps are the industry standard, for sure ... and solid-state gets slammed a lot in general. However, I will contest that some solid-state amps are capable of great tone -- from heavy to clean. I run my solid-state head through a 2x12 cab with (awesome) vintage EVM12L speakers in it ... and it really works for me. Besides having top-notch rich organic tone, I also have five very different electrics where the head will allow presets for each guitar for heavy, gritty and clean (that is 15 presets, and is less than half of what is available). For me, I don't use the on-board effects at all except for just a small nuance of "tape echo" for my "heavy" settings. I do use an external Chorus pedal for Clean tones, but that is all I use for effects. I have experimented with going to tube amps, but every time I have the tone was never that much better (if at all) and I would lose so much functionality. It just never made sense for me. Just my experience ...

Hmmmm ... now where did I put that flame suit ...?

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Post subject: Re: Tube Amp vs Solid Amp
Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2014 5:20 am
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Tube vs Solid State has been argued to death since the early 70's!!! :roll:

My own opinion: Tubes are the only way to go for real, true, legendary tone. The only SS amp that I have ever heard that made me do a double-take, was a Peavey Bandit 2x12 with some newfangled "Trans-Tube" knob/feature built into it.

Truth be told, I own a Fender Frontman 65r solid state amp. It's a great amp for sparkling clean tones. I can't complain... My daughter (works at a music store) bought it for me a couple of years ago and got an incredible employee discount on it. It took me quite a while to find the right setting, the right tone, etc... It is crazy loud for being 65 watts with a 1x12 speaker. It took me even longer to figure out just the right settings on the gain channel make it (sort of) sound semi-decent, and not sound like two stray cats fighting. It has a "mid contour" button (i.e. scouped mids) which I don't use and I refuse to use, as it sounds horrible.

You can use pedals with a SS amp and they work nice together, even an overdrive pedal with the gain almost maxed and the level knob turned down a hair. It will give just a touch of bite, but obviously can't drive tubes.

I just hope this thread doesn't turn into a classic flame war... :P


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Post subject: Re: Tube Amp vs Solid Amp
Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2014 5:27 am
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I'm assuming by "hard rock" you mean hot topic buttrock.

Go solid state, then. Everyone plays in drop d with the same generic drumming anyways.

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Post subject: Re: Tube Amp vs Solid Amp
Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2014 5:30 am
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ButchA wrote:
My own opinion: Tubes are the only way to go for real, true, legendary tone. The only SS amp that I have ever heard that made me do a double-take, was a Peavey Bandit 2x12 with some newfangled "Trans-Tube" knob/feature built into it.



I told her with my eyes: "Meet me over there." instantly, she was the victim of a player.

Yea, my 1986 Envoy 110 has the push/pull. It's basically a tube screamer circuit if I'm understanding it correctly. Sounds incredible, though. Many friends have tried talking me into letting them borrow it. :P Not gonna happen.

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Post subject: Re: Tube Amp vs Solid Amp
Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2014 7:15 am
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I currently have 1 amp- a peavey bandit 112 silver stripe solid state. it is a great amp, but I will never say that it is better than a tube amp.

in a few weeks I will be purchasing a new (or maybe used) tube amp. after playing some low powered (30 watt or so) tube amps, I have decided that it's time to get back to tubes. may be fender or mesa, just don't know yet. still have to try out more. that is why i'll be heading to sweetwater gearfest in june.


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Post subject: Re: Tube Amp vs Solid Amp
Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2014 7:26 am
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Get a mustang III it will cover the tone you want plus more its a solid state.
Most everyone is going to side with tube because they do sound amazing. But there usually pretty darn heavy and you need them at deafening volumes for that good sound unless you got attenuator. As for the pedal part i never heard that it was useless to use pedals on solid state and i don't think its true as i some pedals with my Mustang III

If you mainly play at home id go with a solid state like the Mustang III a tube amp will probably just annoy the other people in the house cause you going to want to have it loud to get the tone you want

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Post subject: Re: Tube Amp vs Solid Amp
Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2014 8:58 am
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arth1 wrote:
You won't find many metal bands that play through solid state amps. When doing larger concerts, probably most will use tube amps as a first stage and feed the output into a PA system. Some will use a tube amp emulator. But very few will go plain solid state.


^^^Dimebag Darrell from Pantera used solid state amps.^^^

I have a Peavey Vypyr 75 and 120 and a Fender Supersonic 100 head with matching cab. I do have to say i love the sound I get from the Fender with and without pedals. If you play a variety of music you'll be spending lot's of money to achieve those sounds. The Peavey's are terrific to use in the house or in small clubs. They are cheap in price and you have just about all the effects you'll ever need to achieve the sound you want. I play everything from Dick Dale, Pink Floyd to Pantera and SOAD on the Peaveys just by the click of a switch. To do the same on my Fender with pedals I have to adjust the pedals depending on what I'm playing.

So if you have the funds go with a tube amp if you don't the Peavey Vypyr's aren't that bad and you can get them dirt cheap. I've tried other SS amps and nothing compares to the Peavey's IMO.

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Post subject: Re: Tube Amp vs Solid Amp
Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2014 9:19 am
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Yea, this has been argued a lot over the years. There are pros and cons to both. I've had some decent SS amps over the years. A buddy of mine came over yesterday to buy my Fender 85. He's having issues with his Peavey Classic and wants a reliable backup for live shows.

I absolutely refuse to part with my Roland JC50. I played about 80% of my live shows with it. Reliable, lightweight, pedals through the front sound nice.

And don't forget about the Yamaha DG series. Those are pretty sick. Those, and the Marshall 8100 actually have decent distortions. The Ampeg SS70 does too.

Distorted Rhythms, breakup sounds, crunch sounds, I like using tube amps. Clean channels and distorted solos, I have no problems with either one.

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